Got your call re "Fish" on video. Problem is that it sells for around
$495 and they don't discount unless you buy lotsa copies, which we don't
need. I can't see spending half a thousand dollars for what's in
essence a training tape. Plus, since we're charging patrons full
replacement cost-no exceptions (that I know of), any patron who broke or
lost the thing would be in big trouble. And so might we.

I'd love to be able to do it, but I think we have to pass on this one.

PS I just looked it up on the Web and had the price wrong--it's
actually $690 on VHS ($790 on DVD), for a 17 minute program!

I find this hard to believe--in fact, I find it impossible to believe.
Any public library that stopped buying AV at this point would be
committing public service suicide. If our usage patterns are any
indication, AV materials account for at least 25% of total circ in most
public libraries. Are you sure it wasn't a case of change in
organizational structure whereby collection development has been picked
up by another department but the form letter doesn't bother to mention
that?